This invention relates to new and useful 3-hydroxy-3-aryl cyclohexane-1-acetic acids, 3-arylcyclohexene-1-acetic acids and derivatives thereof which are useful for reducing blood sugar levels in warm blooded animals. More particularly, these compounds are useful for therapeutic use as hypoglycemic agents in the treatment of diabetes.
In the past, many attempts have been made to obtain new hypoglycemic agents. Generally these attempts have involved synthesis of various sulfonylureas, biguanidine derivatives and related compounds.
3-Hydroxy-3-(p-methoxyphenyl)-cyclohexane-1-acetic acid and 3-(p-methoxyphenyl)-cyclohexene-1-acetic acid have been described by Dave and Warnhoff, Tetrahedron Letters, 1976 No. 51, 4695 (1976). Previously, Dabral et al., Tetrahedron Letters 1975, No. 52, 4681 (1975) had described the formation of a compound to which they attributed the formula ##STR1## where n is 1 or 2. However, Dave and Warnhoff, supra, suggest that Dabral et al. erroneously attributed this formula to the compound obtained and that the compound produced was in fact 3-(p-methoxyphenyl)-cyclohexene-1-acetic acid. This has been confirmed in the course of the work relating to the present invention.